YOURSAY | ‘If registered, this will lead to a flood of other self-appointed ‘guardians of God's law' to flourish.’

Anti-vice group Badar Squad vows comeback

Roger 5201: Azhar Mohamad should ask himself if his Badar al-Kubra could do something positive for young Muslim couples, like offering some healthy halal venue for a date, instead of launching into “khalwat, tangkap basah” mode in the name of Allah.

The Badar Squad is not only illegitimate, it is also hypocritical. Let the zealots who have never sinned cast the first stone.

We really do not need Saudi-style policing around here, so please do not take legal matters into your own hands.

Malaysian-United: Can Azhar prove that the incidence of khalwat has risen since the new government took over?

On the alleged increase in the number of vehicles parked near budget hotels - is that a reliable indication? Are they sure the guests are not mostly married couples and families? What about non-Muslims?

By the way, who gave them the right to invade the privacy of others? And what type of counselling takes place at cemeteries? They are not just disturbing the living, but also the dead.

Such vigilante activities are illegal. They should be sued for trespassing, and charged for being a nuisance and disturbing the peace.

Vijay47: Come on, come on, guys, let’s not be so critical, let’s look at this godly mission in a more generous and supportive manner.

Rather than being a drain on government resources, these idle, uneducated, Muslim Badar youth have taken it upon themselves to secure some gainful employment, though I am not too sure who will fund their salaries.

Perhaps godliness is their own reward, their joy is purely in seeing their compatriots return to the right path en route to syurga (heaven).

Then again, we could hope that PAS, with all the wealth they do not wish the public to know about, would assist by paying for their efforts.

Nevertheless, I am sure that the Badar forces agree that Man does not live on bread alone. Sometimes a bungkus of nasi lemak does wonders for variety.

The next point to admire is their confidence, the assurance that they have already attained a level of piety that should not be hidden under a bushel. Of what worth is righteousness if not used for the betterment of society?

Not many mortals can claim this measure of virtue as our Badar friends do without even flinching.

Finally, if their efforts were previously stymied by the Registrar of Societies (ROS), it was only for want of form, a failure to register the body.

How can one fault such scientific methods of determining “close proximity” by reference to the number of cars in the vicinity, though the engine capacity has not been stated?

And counselling offenders in a cemetery is surely divinely inspired and a source of great admiration and pride for fellow Muslims and heathens alike.

To overcome any impediment to ROS registration, I would suggest that Badar appoint Zakir Naik as president. Two peas in a pod never were more alike. Peace to you, brothers.

Gerard Lourdesamy: Not only should the ROS reject their application to register themselves as a society but the home minister should ban the group on the grounds of public order and safety.

How can a vigilante group be allowed to operate as an enforcement body outside the purview of the respective state and federal Islamic councils and religious affairs departments?

The power to enforce Islamic law, including the policing of Muslims, vests in the state Islamic religious affairs departments which are empowered by state laws and under the direction of the state Islamic councils. The police and local authorities can assist them in such enforcement.

Therefore, there is no reason in law for this vigilante group that behaves like the Taliban to exist. More importantly, since the Malay rulers are the heads of Islam in their respective states, this vigilante group is directly challenging the authority and wisdom of the Malay rulers.

Anonymous 770241447347646: The last thing the nation needs is vigilante squads. We have enough religious departments and also the police to monitor irresponsible activity.

If we allow one vigilante organisation, there will be others who also want to start their own.

There will be enough chaos, and some will even go to the extent of deciding what action to take personally.

We have had enough of the disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat, when certain individuals decided to take the law into their own hands.

Let us not have another repeat of such an incident by deputising ordinary individuals as law enforcers.

Clear Thinking: Terror is not the way to deal with the matter. In a democracy, all individuals have a duty to act morally. What is moral and what is not differs according to different social set-ups.

In Saudi Arabia, women driving motor vehicles were once considered immoral. What is universally considered immoral is covered by our penal code.

Newday: There would be something seriously wrong if the ROS allows this group of Islamic vigilantes to be registered.

They cause unreasonable fear and carry out questionable actions that impact on private lives and the legitimate operation of businesses.

They have no legal standing and indeed have broken laws. Moreover, they will be seen to have been legitimised if ROS permits the group’s registration.

If registered, this will lead to a flood of other self-appointed ‘guardians of God's law' vigilante groups to flourish. This lot needs to be cracked down on, not given a licence to cause mayhem.

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